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The criticism that Rachael should not have included her 'credentials' on her first posting to the list was completely misguided in my view. Rachael was actually making the point that academics are not the experts. As such, by stating her university affiliation she was surely positioning herself as a non-expert. Before Rachael barely had time to reply to the rebuke she received, a further one was added to the list stating "And before you write back and say you are only a student let me tell you, when I was a student I was treated a helluva lot better in this world than I am now. " I just found that condescending, rude and disrespectful. We cannot presume to know what someone will say in reply to a posting nor presume to know another list member's social history or life experiences based on the social identity they have chosen and/or had imposed upon them. It is sadly ironic that Rachael stated that her contribution was the first one she had made to the list because, among other reasons, she was worried that she might be misunderstood. How right she was to be fearful. In the first replies she recieved it was clear to me that neither were her worries about posting to the list taken into account nor the content of her message understood. There, I have said my piece. Discussion has already moved on to the next target, which might temporarily be a social system or a social institutions, but may well default back to attacking an individual who will find themselves in the firing line as the list once again resembles more a jerry springer franchise than a space where people can engage critically with understanding the ways our social systems and social institutions effect our lives and how our lives effect our social systems and our social institutions.... That's my reason for being silent lately... paul an academic ___________________________________ COMMUNITYPSYCHUK - The discussion list for community psychology in the UK. To unsubscribe or to change your details visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/COMMUNITYPSYCHUK.HTML For any problems or queries, contact the list moderator at [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]